Courses

SOWK 2310. Intro-Social Work/Soci Welfare.

Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare (3-0) Introduction to the human service delivery system in the United States, with an emphasis on the social work profession: its mission, philosophy, ethics, values, diverse fields, and ethnocultural perspectives. Observations of social service agencies and guest speakers provide a career orientation to the social work profession. .

Social Welfare Policy and Services I (3-0) Examination of the historical evolution of social welfare and the social work profession, with focus on the social policies which comprise the foundation of the welfare state in the United States. Present patterns of social welfare services will also be examined. Emphasis on the historical evolution of contemporary social problems in the borderlands region. Oppression, discrimination, justice, immigration issues and policies, and their impact on diverse populations at risk will be explored.

Human Behavior and Social Environment I (3-0) Designed to introduce beginning social work students to some mainstream theoretical explanations by which to view individuals, groups, and families. Students will be given an opportunity to compare traditional mainstream models with newer alternative paradigms that focus on human growth and development from a strengths perspective. Special emphasis is placed on issues of culture, race, ethnic diversity, racism, sexism, ageism, and disabling mental or physical conditions.

Special Issues in Social Work (1-0) Professional concerns and issues of social work will be selected by the instructor dependent on student needs. Students may repeat this course if the focus of the course differs.

Special Issues in Social Work (2-0) Professional concerns and issues of social work will be selected by the instructor dependent on student needs. Students may repeat this course if the focus of the course differs.

An analysis of current major issues and problems formulation of social welfare policies on the local, state, and federal levels in the United States. Social security, health, education, public welfare and income maintenance, immigration, and international agreements will be highlighted. The impact of various welfare policies upon Hispanics and other at risk populations in the borderlands region. Application of strategies of change will be emphasized.

Culturally Grounded Social Work (3-0) This course covers emerging trends in cultural competence and adaptation, and the culturally grounded perspective from a standpoint of intersectionality. Students will examine the impact of discrimination, oppression, and economic deprivation on disenfranchised populations and theoretical and historical perspectives on racism, sexism, heterosexism, classism, ageism, ableism, and other forms of discrimination and powerlessness with an emphasis on social work in the U.S.-Mexico Border region. Students will develop awareness of their own culture and attitudes, beliefs, and responses to diversity within the context of professional social work values and culturally responsive practice.

Child Welfare Practice and Services in a Border Context (3-0) Overview of practice and policy issues, problems, and opportunities in the provision of child welfare services in the borderlands region. Emphasis will get given to: collaborative international efforts, culturally sensitive approaches, case management, family preservation, and other intervention strategies.

Human Behavior and Social Environment II (3-0) Designed to introduce beginning social work students to various theoretical models by which to view how groups, communities, and organizations interface and interact with the social environment. Students will also examine various theoretical models of poverty, particularly as these influence social welfare policies and/or affect the delivery of social services to impoverished populations.

Social Work with LGBTQI This course focuses on providing information and skills to allow social workers to provide culturally competent service to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people in the Border region. This course will provide students with advanced social work knowledge, skills, and values needed for practice with sexual minority popoulations at the individual, family, group, organization, and community levels. Students learn about the history and contemporary mechanisms of opression constraining people of marginalized gender indentities and sexual indetities in order to create social change and promote social justice in practice settings and policy work.

Social Work with Military Families Students will gain familiarity with the issues and resources available to address issues of individuals and families affiliated with the US military. Formal and informal military structures, including benefits structures, military culture, active duty, reserve and retired military structures will be explored. The history of social work within the military will be examined. Issues related to discrimination and oppression within the military will be discussed. Ethical concerns that emerge from social work practice with military families will be addressed.

Social Work and Aging: A Cross-Cultural Perspective (3-0) An examination of the needs and concerns of the aging person in society from a social/cultural/physiological/emotional perspective and of methods used to address those needs and concerns. Emphasis will be on advocacy, case management, networking, and direct care methods, and their application to Hispanics and other diverse populations in the borderlands region.

The Process of Addiction: A Cross-Cultural Perspective (3-0) An examination of the cross-cultural implications of the process of addiction in the borderlands region. Focus is on the comparative patterns of addictions by gender, age, family, and ethnocultural culturally competent intervention modalities will be explored.

Social Work with Native Americal Population This course utilizes lecture, film, guest presentations, readings and assignments, and active discussion to achieve learning objectives. Students are expected to read all assignments, and should be prepared to discuss them actively during class sessions. Grades are based primarily on quality of participation, weekly readings and journal entries, periodic news summaries, and an independent research project . Participation in classroom discussion is essential. This course will explore historical events and culture relative to Native Americans and how this impacts the practice of social work with this border population.

Health and Environment: Planning for Sustainability The course aims to create an interdisciplinary approach to examine the links between the environment (physical,natural, and social) and the physical and menthal health of individuals and the communities they live in. Touching on the fields of public health, social work, and urban planning , the fundamental idea of the course is to explore the relationship between these three fields and to illustrate that how and what we build has tremendus influence in how we live and how we maintain our physical and mental well-being. Students in various disciplines will understand these links and formulate responses and solutions based on their understanding of their respective fields. The course will examine national perspectives with emphasize on issues affecting the El Paso/Ciudad Juarez border region.

Diagnostic Systems for Generalist Social Work (3-0). Survey of the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association with an emphasis on preparation of BSW students for licensure examinations. Ethical issues associated with use of classification systems will be presented within the context of alternative interpretation of human behaviors from diverse cultural perspectives.

Assessment & Intervention (In Spanish) The development of skills and a theoretical basis for advanced social work practice with Spanish dominant clients using Spanish language and conducting assessments and interventions that are culturally and linguistically competent.

This is the first of three generalist practice courses designed to provide entry level theory, knowledge, research, values and skills for social work practice with individuals. Self-awareness, problem solving, interviewing, professional relationships, intervention planning and skills, and ethics are included. An ethnocultural perspective with particular focus on the borderlands region is emphasized. Pre-internship volunteer experience required.

Generalist Social Work Practice II (3-0) This is the second of three generalist practice courses designed to provide entry level theory, knowledge, research, values, and skills for social work practice with groups and families. This course continues to build on the problem solving model, intervention methods, and planning introduced in Social Work 3355. An ethnocultural perspective with particular focus on the borderlands region is emphasized.

Social Work with Special Populations (3-0) Emphasis is placed on theories, concepts, and techniques of social work in a wide range of settings. This course covers content on the importance of age, women's issues, ethnicity, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, and disabilities in a group processes. Students may repeat this course if the focus of the course differs.

Special Issues in Social Work (3-0) Professional concerns and issues of social work will be selected by the instructor dependent on student needs. Students may repeat this course if the focus of the course differs.

Research Methods in Social Work (4-0). This class will provide students with an understanding of various processes for building knowledge for practice and for evaluation of service delivery. The concept and processes of evidence-based practice as utilized in social work will be learned and applied. Ethical standards, use of critical thinking, and writing skills will be emphasized. Theoretical constructs for conducting culturally sensitive, quantitative/qualitative research in the borderlands region will be examined.

A capstone seminar that enables students to integrate the theory, knowledge, values, skills, ethics and ethnocultural competence of generalist social work practice. Emphasis will include an evaluation of one's own practice.

Social Work in Health Care Health is a central issue in all people's live. It cuts across all the domains of social work practice with individuals, families and communities. Issues of health will often surface, regardless of practice setting. This course will serve as an introduction to social work practice in health. We will examine the health care system, managed care, health care financing, complementary and alternative medicine, ethics, social epidemiology and different health issues in relation to social work practice. Consistent with the mission of our School, we will emphasize border health issues.

This is the third of the three generalist practice courses designed to provide entry-level theory, knowledge, research, values, and skills for social work solving model, intervention methods, and planning introduced with SOWK 3355 and SOWK 3358 with an emphasis on community development skills and strategies of change. An ethnocultural perspective with particular focus on the borderlands region is emphasized.

Generalist Field Instruction I (0-0-3) is the first of two field-based practicum experiences. Students complete 240 practicum hours of supervised learning experience in selected social welfare agencies. A weekly seminar (SOWK 4281) accompanies this course, facilitating students' integration and application of social work theory and practice skills in a field setting. A multi-cultural perspective is emphasized.

Generalist Field Instruction II (0-0-3) is the second of two field-based practicum experiences. Students complete 240 practicum hours of supervised learning experience in selected social welfare agencies. A weekly seminar (SOWK 4282) accompanies this course, facilitating students' integration and application of social work theory and practice skills in a field setting. A multi-cultural practice perspective is emphasized.